A Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system is considered as a set of tools and methodologies to manage the evolution of product-related information and processes during a product's life cycle from the initial stage of conception to the last stage of product disposal. On the other hand, previous research [1] has provided different definitions for PLM, including that it is a business strategy to enhance the integration and collaboration activities during definition, sharing and usage of engineering data, i.e., wherever information is needed throughout the product life cycle. PLM as a business strategy is not only a key consideration for large companies, but is also becoming a must for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), who consider product development as a core competency [2].Due to competition and globalisation in the marketplace, working in supply chain networks has become essential for enterprises to have access to optimal information and communication technologies in order to enhance their performance. However, inspite of SMEs also being interested in the same technologies, problems in structuring prevent them from having good exchanges of information [3].When a company is planning to develop or implementing a PLM system, a key consideration for those responsible, is to complete a maturity assessment. Through the use of a maturity model, the company will be able to measure the level of implementation of PLM or the methods required to extend it [4]. In the authors' previous study [5], the maturity levels relating to collaboration between SMEs and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) was analysed. This maturity exercise, which had five levels, depicted the situation of collaboration from initial level to the optimal point. Based on the proposed PLM axes of Strategy, Organisation, Processes and Tools, it was possible to classify the activities of each level; this method of classification was important from the point of view of identifying the domain and personal responsibilities by activity.Given the situation that all SMEs, in following certain maturity level, are not the same, it is believed that maturity levels in themselves, are not sufficient to determine levels of collaboration and may need further adoption indicators of PLM to determine more precisely their correct level. The role of the 'Adoption' indicator of PLM in SMEs will be considered further in the next section and the effectiveness of these indicators, through the employment of probability methods, will be measured.The Proposed Methodology:
